Bruins crush Predators behind four short-handed goals

David Pastrnak scored his NHL-leading 32nd goal of the season and goaltender Tuukka Rask made 34 saves as the Boston Bruins defeated host Nashville 6-2 Tuesday night, spoiling the debut of Predators coach John Hynes. Hynes, who started the season behind the New Jersey Devils' bench before being dismissed Dec. 3, was named coach earlier in the day after the Predators fired coach Peter Laviolette and associate coach Kevin McCarthy on Monday.

Danton Heinen, Patrice Bergeron, Chris Wagner, David Krejci and Charlie Coyle also scored for the Atlantic Division-leading Bruins, who won for the first time in their past four games (1-1-2). Filip Forsberg and Mikael Granlund scored power-play goals for the Predators, who are 1-4-1 in their past six games. Goalie Pekka Rinne stopped 30 of 35 shots.

The Predators were 2 for 7 on the power play, but couldn't capitalize on a two-man advantage late in the third period. The Bruins, meanwhile, scored four short-handed goals, including two in the final minute. Pastrnak opened the scoring at 1:36 of the first period, taking a pass from Charlie McAvoy in his own zone and skating all the way up the right wing into the Predators' end before firing a shot from the top of the faceoff circle that snuck between Rinne and the near post. It extended Pastrnak's point streak to 11 games (six goals, 10 assists).

The score remained 1-0 until Heinen scored a short-handed goal at 8:21 off the first of Matt Grzelcyk's two assists. Forsberg pulled Nashville within 2-1 with a power-play goal at 10:54 of the second. Defenseman Roman Josi got the secondary assist, extending his point streak to 11 games (seven goals, 12 assists).

Bergeron scored at 17:42, taking from Jake DeBrusk behind the net, to give Boston a 3-1 lead into the third. Wagner scored a short-handed goal at 2:51 of the third, and Krejci and Coyle scored while a man down in the final minute.

Granlund scored his goal with a man advantage at 18:06 of the third, pulling the Predators within 4-2. 

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)